Dr. Paula Alvarez - Mental Health Counselor | The Center for Internet & Technology Addiction

Accepting new clients

35 years experience | Intl Clients Welcome

About Dr. Paula Alvarez

Greetings! I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in the states of California, Illinois, and Missouri, and I have a doctorate in Organizational Psychology. I have worked in locked and outpatient mental health facilities for the last 30 years. I facilitated group treatment of domestic violence perpetrators in Spanish and English for eight years. I specialize in treating trauma-related symptoms, anxiety and depression, anger management, geriatric well-being, mental health recovery, cultural diversity issues, and self-esteem issues. My doctorate degree (EdD) In Leadership and Learning with a specialization in Organizational Psychology was conferred on May 27, 2021.

I use a client-centered approach (Carl Rogers), and I know that the client is the expert. I tailor my therapy sessions to what the client wants. I used cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with those who like CBT interventions. I offer homework assignments and bibliotherapy for those clients who want those interventions. I also use Brief-Solution Focused Therapy, Trauma-Informed Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing techniques.

I invite you to contact me to see if I am a good fit to help and empower you on your journey to better living.

Licenses

LCSW

19790

LCSW

2016036974

LCSW

149.023704

Professional experience

Addictions
ADHD
Anger management
Bipolar disorder
Career difficulties
Coaching
Coping with life changes
Depression
Family conflicts
Grief
Intimacy-related issues
LGBT
Parenting issues
Relationship issues
Self esteem
Stress, Anxiety
Trauma and abuse

Additional Focus Areas

Abandonment
Aging and geriatric issues
Caregiver issues and stress
Codependency
Communication problems
Control issues
Divorce and separation
Domestic violence
Eating and food-related issues
Family of origin issues
Guilt and shame
Hospice and end-of-life counseling
Immigration issues
Isolation / loneliness
Life purpose
Mood disorders
Multicultural concerns
Panic disorder and panic attacks
Post-traumatic stress
Postpartum depression
Prejudice and discrimination
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Self-love
Sexual assault and abuse
Smoking / vaping cessation
Social anxiety and phobia
Women's issues
Workplace issues
Young adult issues

Clinical Approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Client-Centered Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Gottman Method
Hypnotherapy
Internal Family Systems
Mindfulness Therapy
Motivational Interviewing
Solution-Focused Therapy
Trauma-Focused Therapy

Languages

English

15 Reviews

“I have been very pleased with progress made with the guidance Dr. Alvarez has provided. She has provided great insight and allowed me to come to my own conclusion with thoughtful questions and honest feedback. I would like to continue working with Dr. Alvarez and would suggest her services to people walking through similar challenges as me. I also appreciate the amount of resources she provided for me that were specific to boundary work. A++ Thank you Dr. Alvarez!!”

“Dr. Alvarez is an extremely thoughtful and well educated therapist. She provides unconditional support and materials that have been extremely beneficial in helping me navigate my life through difficult times. I highly recommend her to anyone that is trying to survive and thrive through hard circumstances. <br /> Gratefully,<br /> Jennifer”

“What a wonderful human and therapist she is! I’m very grateful for her help :)”

“Attentive and knowledgeable”

“Has helped me stop suppressing trauma and act to move through it.”

“Very kind, knowledgeable and friendly.”

“She was great,”

“Dr. Alvarez is an outstanding therapist. She is caring and compassionate, and inspires me to look at myself and learn more about who I want to be. She inspires me!”

“She’s amazing.”

“Paula is, I think, remarkable.<br /> I am exceptionally fortunate to have found her. I can now look forward to recovery and living a better quality of life. Long overdue.<br /> Period.”

“Dr. Alvarez has been understanding, supportive and provided some very helpful resources in our first meeting. I look forward to continuing therapy sessions”

“I’ve found her very helpful. She’s a terrific listener.”

“Great”

“Dr. Alvarez is extremely compassionate and competent! She has been essential in my mental health journey.”

“Dr. Alvarez was hugely helpful to me and I looked forward to our sessions every time!”

These reviews represent a few of the most recent positive reviews from the therapist's clients on BetterHelp. Some people's experience may be different.